With Dejah trapped for a year in the Temple of the Sun, John and his allies try to bring peace to the surrounding area as the First Born are still resisting the death of Issus. Tars captures a group of First Born noble women but John refuses to take them as hostages and lets them go. Touched by his display of honor, Linea tells him that the high priest of Issus is going to try and activate a machine that will suck up the atmosphere of Barsoom and kill everyone on the planet. John, Carthoris and Linea find the priest but not before he can activate the machine.